27 August 2008

Taser decision highlights politicisation of Police

The decision to roll-out Tasers to police was a "no-brainer" following the success of the trial, and considering the increasing violence faced by police officers on a daily basis, and the only question is why the announcement has taken a year, Police Association President Greg O'Connor said today.

"For the last two years, both the Commissioner and the Minister have insisted that the decision on Tasers was a decision solely for the Commissioner. Yet now, almost a year to the day since the trial
concluded, we have the Minister announcing the decision in Parliament a day after the Government's backroom deal with New Zealand First to keep police off councils," Mr O'Connor said.

"This decision could have been made by the Commissioner at any time since he received the trial evaluation in December last year. Instead it has been held back in a cynical and calculated attempt to divert police and public attention from the Government's u-turn on the democratic rights of police officers.

"This is a decision we should have been celebrating months ago as a step forward for public and police safety. Instead, the announcement can only be viewed with bitter irony as it highlights the politicisation of the highest levels of police, at a time when constables are being banned from participating in their own local community councils," Mr O'Connor said.

ENDS

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